When content is removed or you need to roll back large changes, Helpjuice gives you two recovery options: restore individual deleted items from the Activities area, or restore a full Knowledge Base snapshot from a Backup. This article explains both methods, how they differ, and when to use each so you can recover content quickly and safely.

In this article, you’ll learn:

• How to restore deleted articles and categories
• Where deleted items are stored and how long they remain
• How Helpjuice backups work and how to download them
• How to restore a full backup or only specific components
• Permissions, risks, and best practices for restores

Activities Section vs Backup & Restore Section

Only Super Administrators have access to the Backups & Restore section and the reason is simple: since backups contain all content (including private articles), Super Administrators are the only users who have permission to access it.

If you are an Administrator or a Collaborator, you can restore content using the Activities Section.

Activities Section

Backup & Restore Section

Helpjuice backups are automated or manually run backups of your entire knowledge base, including content, users, and files. These backups are saved to the cloud and can be downloaded as a zip file for safekeeping or restoration.

The backup ZIP contains content, user data, uploaded files, and permission settings so you can fully restore a site if needed.

Downloading a Backup

1. Click the Backup & Restore icon
2. Click the Download icon next to the backup you want.

The downloaded zip file will include the following:

• account_id: Your account ID.
• uploads.csv: A table of all uploaded assets and their file names, with assets stored in the categories folder.
• groups.csv: A table of all groups created and their permissions.
• passes.csv: Unique category/question passes that define permission settings.
• categories: All uploaded image assets.
• answers.csv: All article content stored.
• questions.csv: All article data except for the content.
• categorizations.csv: All categorization data stored.
• categories.csv: All categories and their attributes.

 

 

Running a Manual Backup

If you need to force an immediate updated backup, click Run Manual Backup Now in your Backups & Restore section

 

 

Restoring a Backup

1. Click the Backup & Restore icon
2. Click the Upload & Restore Backup option at the upper-right corner
3. Upload one of the downloaded backups
4. In the restore prompt, choose which items to restore (you can restore everything or select specific components like content, users, or uploads).
5. Optionally check Override existing data if you want the restored items to replace current ones.

 

 

Examples / Use Cases

• Accidentally deleted a critical onboarding article: Use Activities → Undo to restore it immediately.
• Preparing for a site-wide content migration: Create a manual backup before you begin so you can revert if something breaks.
• Rolling back a failed import: Restore only the uploads or content component from a backup to minimize disruption.

Best Practices

• Create a manual backup before major migrations or structural changes.
• Download and store backups off-platform if you require longer retention.
• Check Activities first when an item is deleted - it’s the fastest way to recover within 90 days.
• Use the restore prompt to select only the components you need to avoid unnecessary overwrites.
• Communicate with your team before restoring a backup that could replace current content.